The 2025 season was an epilogue for Philip Rivers‘ NFL playing career. The 44-year-old quarterback hung up his cleats in 2020, then returned in 2025 to lead the Indianapolis Colts. In the process, he proved plenty of people wrong, set a real-life example for his children and a younger generation of players about taking risks, and showed that football still had room for him. Now, though, Rivers appears ready to go home for good.

So, is this truly the end of Rivers in the NFL? As a player, yes. But permanently? Maybe not. Ever since his return, Ian Rapoport has reported that a few teams could have interest in Rivers in 2026. Not as a QB. But as a head coach on the sideline. And recently, the veteran finally addressed whether coaching in the NFL is something he actually wants to pursue.

“There’s nothing of concrete with that,” Rivers said. “I think if anything this past month has taught me is you’re open, obviously, to anything, I guess. …So, I don’t have any of those things on my radar, certainly it’s nothing that I would shut down before it even became a possibility. I do think, as humbly as I can say it, that I could coach at this level. I know enough about the game and about the guys, and from a leadership standpoint, camaraderie, all that comes with it.”

For now, a few teams will start searching for a new head coach. We’re talking about the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and the Las Vegas Raiders. But Rivers made it clear that there’s “nothing concrete” when it comes to teams reaching out for an HC interview. That’s why, even though he believes he could coach at the NFL level, he isn’t actively pursuing it. For now, he’s simply taking things one day at a time.

“But again, that’s not something that I’m sitting here pursuing,” Rivers added. “Like I said, if anything I learned the last four weeks, is take it one day at a time. Because there was a Sunday afternoon – I had no thought of being in Indianapolis the next day. Then 24 hours later I was here, and I’ve been here a month exactly, or four weeks exactly to the day. You just kind of just go, take it one day at a time, be where you are, and go from there.”

The Colts signed Rivers after Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury, while Anthony Richardson remained on injured reserve. Over a three-game stretch, Rivers showed there was still some ball left in him. Even though he went 0–3 and missed the playoffs, he totaled 544 passing yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions, and an 80.2 passer rating while completing 63.0% of his passes.

Now, he’s heading back home to his family. Rivers will return to the life he was living just a month ago. Before his NFL return, he was coaching his son’s high school team. And that’s exactly where he’ll be again.

Philip Rivers addresses his further endeavours as a high school HC

Philip Rivers has been the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School since 2021. The 44-year-old stepped into the role immediately after retiring from the NFL following the 2020 season. The Cardinals, led by Rivers’ son Gunner, opened the 2025 campaign with a 13–0 run. But they fell in the state semifinals. And now, Rivers has made his mindset clear: He believes this group can finally get over the hump.

“I’m looking forward to going back home and getting back with those guys, getting back with my family,” the quarterback said. “Gunner’s senior season coming up, and we’ve been back-to-back semifinals, and hopefully we can get over the hump this year. So, I don’t have any of those (NFL) things on my radar, but certainly nothing that I would shut down before it even became a possibility.”

Rivers’ son, Gunner, is a consensus four-star quarterback and the No. 1-ranked player in Alabama for the 2027 class, according to 247Sports. And with Rivers focused on the present, the goal is clear. Not just to finish his son’s senior season the right way. But to make it a defining one as Gunner continues to build toward his own college football and NFL ambitions.

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